When did Ken Starr become a contributing op-ed columnist for the Waco Tribune? And why? This is the man who turd-polished Art Briles' reign of sexual assault by Baylor footballers, even after he was canned as president,then resigned as a professor.
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When did it become a "thing" for newspapers to run ads more than the customer desired, then bill them for the extra runs? (Until and unless a customer notices, that is.)
And, in my opinion, to state those magic words, I don't think it's being done by accident. I of course cannot read minds. So it has to remain my opinion.
Look, through laziness or whatever, I can see a classified ad simply staying on a classified page an extra week at a small-town non-daily paper. But, with ad billing software programs, the customer should only be billed for the number of runs purchased.
I know of this happening at one pair of papers. Personal contact with customers. Both classified AND display ads. On the one case, it ran 6x instead of 1x. Been told it might have happened before. Suspect it's happened nearby. Heard that it's not just an issue with one newspaper company.
I can't say anything more, for various reasons.
But, where I know it's happening? I wouldn't do business with that paper, let alone with a sister paper, if you put a gun to my head.
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If you're a newspaper publisher, or owner of a group, and don't like the possibility of being tarred with a broad brush?
You have two options.
The first is to call out your newspaper peers. Not by name, of course, even for places where you've heard of this practice being done. But, yes, call them out. Not in an op-ed in your paper, of course. That does nothing. Try the TPA Messenger or something.
The second is to adopt a public policy at your paper, if you're a publisher, or your group, if you're an owner. Something like:
"We will give you double your money back for any overbilling for advertising runs you did not authorize."
Then, internally, make repeat violations, even if you can't prove intent, a fireable offense.
And, speaking of the TPA Messenger, one could argue for TPA to be more proactive.
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If you're a newspaper customer, and this happens, and you suspect that, in your opinion, or ear to the street, it is part of a pattern? Rather than just fighting to get your money back, consider legal alternatives. Even if you do get your money back and you have the time, the money, and a lawyer willing to do discovery.
Or, better yet? Rather than threatening suit, file a criminal complaint for credit/debit card abuse. Under section (b)(1)(A) there, I believe an offense has been committed in such cases, and mental intent does not have to be legally proven. And, here in Texas, per that link, it's a state jail felony. (That said, intent will be in the center of jurors' mind if that goes to a jury trial, and probably in a judge's mind, too. With that said, good luck getting a county or district attorney to file a case.)
Tip 2? Sure, it's fine for a newspaper, like your grocer, to want to be paid in advance. If you're going to pay by credit card, just pay for that ad. You do not have to leave a card number on file.
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If any big dailies see this, will they try to dig into it?
Probably not. They're losing the manpower, and besides, this is enough inside baseball that one newspaper or company wouldn't want to shit on another.
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Meanwhile, ethics applies to use of the English language, too. A 20-something kid who can't write in complete sentences half the time is allegedly being trained to use InDesign enough to be given the label of "publisher" or something.
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